Mercifully, the Celtics have no more back-to-back games. After recording an 8-11 record in 19 back-to-backs this year — including a 2-8 record in their last 10 — the C’s won’t be playing on consecutive nights in the playoffs. So, just how much better are the Celtics with one or more days rest?

Before we attempt to answer that, it’s important to consider these three things:

1) The Celtics have allowed an NBA-best 91.0 points per game, and even in back-to-back games they held opponents to an average of 92.3 points, which still would’ve ranked third in the league this year.

2) The Celtics scored 96.3 points per game, ranking 24th out of 30 NBA teams. In back-to-backs, they averaged just 91.6 points a game, which would’ve ranked last in the league this season.

3) While the 2011 NBA Playoff schedule hasn’t been released yet, in their 24 playoff games last season the Celtics played 14 on one day rest, six on two days rest and four on three or more days rest.

4) The Celtics will go as far as the Big Four take them. Plain and simple. And considering Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo are the only C’s to play 30-plus minutes a night, they’re in need of the most rest.

Now, let’s compare the Big Four’s performances on one, two, three or more days rest as opposed to their numbers in back-to-back games. How significant is their improvement with fresher legs (individual bests in bold)?

By Paul Flannery | Comments Off on Delonte West is ready for his next return

For the third time this season Delonte West is ready to make a comeback. His latest setback was a sprained ankle, but it was actually a little bit worse than that. West said before the Celtics game with Indiana that he actually chipped a bone in his ankle when he rolled it over a coach’s foot during a shootaround in late February.

“A standard ankle sprain I was thinking two to three days and I’ve been out for about two weeks,” West said. “I’ve waited this long, what’s two more weeks? We’re here now again, so I’m looking forward to playing.”

West has been out since Feb. 26 and he has missed all but eight games this season due to an NBA suspension, a broken wrist and his ankle injury. He said his goal is to get ready for the playoffs with the time he has left.

“The only thing to do know between now and the playoffs is to gain the trust of my teammates and the coaching staff so they want me to be out there with them during the playoffs,” West said. “I have a little bit of time now and that’s my goal right now.”

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it was too soon to tell how he would divvy up the backcourt minutes between West and Carlos Arroyo.

“I want Delonte on the floor,” Rivers said. “I want to try to establish more and more the group that we have, the second unit. We’ll see how those two play together. We’ll see how Delonte plays, where he plays better.”

I’ve got to tip my hat to Celtics Hub for reminding everybody that new Celtics backup point guard Carlos Arroyo is also a Reggaeton (think Akon, in Spanish) star in his native country of Puerto Rico. He’s released two singles: ‘Oculto Secreto’ and the more popular ‘Se Va Conmigo’ with a dude named Yomo.

Thanks to AllTheLyrics.com, we now have a (very) loose translation of the ‘Se Va Conmigo’ (‘Go Away With Me’) remix performed with Ivy Queen, and it’s obviously pretty amazing ‘¦

To me, it’s enough to look for an affair.I told you, I go with you.If you tell me, I continue,And without telling me, I follow you.If you know it, I’m ahired killer.I catch you when you get in my area.

What you like is that I have fury,That I speak to you clearlyAnd that I don’t go on with you with sweet talk.I don’t mind nothing, I leave.Speaking clearly, you know well what I give.

That’s enough games, and bring me down the ego.I’m not made of ice, and you like that.We go without detour that I’m shrewderPa, pa, papi.

What’s what?Do you want it in English or in Portuguese?He’s looking for that I catch him, he asks it.I warn him, and he continues.

Truly, she has me with the slow note.She don’t mind nothing, she leaves.She leaves with me without fear of to fail,Because her wish is that I put her to sweat.She excels with her skirt.

Mini mami, I know you are a hired killer.Whatever I say, I know you die in my area.Nice, sexy, exotic.

Obviously, my favorite parts are, ‘Her wish is that I put her to sweat,’ and, ‘She excels with her skirt.’ And, yes, I’m going to use those lines all the time now.

By Mike Petraglia | Comments Off on Glen Davis on the new guys: ‘They’ve got to adjust to the Celtics way’

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WALTHAM — Turns out there’s a method to Glen Davis‘ apparent madness – or at least his sometimes goofy behavior.

He just wants to let all the new players acquired in the last two weeks know that they’re part of the family now. And talking and playing around with them in practice is just his way of getting to know them.

“Basketball is basketball,” Davis began. “I play the Celtics way. They’ve got to adjust to the Celtics way. I don’t have any worries or anything like that but just getting the feel for each player. I’m going to have to do that. That’s why I try to interact with everybody, see who they are as people and hope that when I get back on the court have that translate into basketball terminology on the court.”

As for that problematic left knee, Davis said the patellar tendinitis is getting better and better but he’s still limited.

“Just watching a lot of film, trying to drop some lbs before the playoffs start so I can be out there jumping like a jack rabbit,” Davis quipped.

While he can watch film and shadow box with Paul Pierce – as he did after practice Tuesday, what is he not allowed to do while he’s waiting to get cleared for practice?

“Just a lot of up and down, a lot of jumping, things like that,” Davis said. “I’m not doing any jumping or any shooting or anything like that. I’ll try to do that in the next couple of days.

“I’m going to practice soon, I don’t know when but soon, whenever they let me.”

Davis was then asked the classic, ‘Would this injury keep you out of the playoffs?’ question.

“Oh, no way,” he answered without hesitation. “It’s the playoffs. I could play with that. It’s only for a couple of weeks, right? I’ve been playing with this for the whole season so far, half the year. A couple of weeks isn’t going to hurt. As long as I don’t get to the point where I can’t walk, perform or play.”

WALTHAM — Before their open practice on Tuesday, Celtics coach Doc Rivers introduced their newest player, Carlos Arroyo, to his teammates. His new team proceeded to pummel him like baseball players do at home plate after someone hits a game-winning home run. With that bit of bonding out of the way, Arroyo began his crash-course in running the Celtics’ offense.

“He’s a point guard,” Rivers said emphasizing the last two words. “He’s been a point guard all of his life. Some of the stuff he’ll pick up pretty quickly.”

The Celtics have essentially played without a true backup point guard since Rajon Rondo took over the starter’s job in 2007. Eddie Houseand Nate Robinson — two shoot-first small guards — mainly filled that role, while the Celtics also tried Sam Cassell and Stephon Marbury as late-season experiments, with decidedly mixed results.

“It’s nice,” Rivers said of having a true backup point. “It’s just going to take him some time, but he knows how to run a team. That’s going to be great for us.”

Delonte West is supposed to be that player, but he has been unable to stay on the court; missing time with a broken wrist and a sprained ankle. Rivers said that West was definitely out Wednesday against the Clippers and called him “doubtful” for Friday’s Sixers game. The new hope is Sunday against the Bucks.

Rivers has been concerned about playing Rondo too many minutes. He has posted the following totals in his last six games: 43, 34, 42, 39, 42, 38. That 34 came in a relatively comfortable win over the Clippers. Rondo had to take himself out for a quick rest in the fourth quarter of their game against Golden State and looked a step slow on Sunday against the Bucks. While rookie Avery Bradley has stepped in admirably, the Celtics desperately needed a veteran hand at the position.

Into that spot steps Arroyo, who started 42 games for the Heat this season before being waived to make room for Mike Bibby. The 31-year-old Arroyo is the definition of a veteran journeyman, having played for six teams (the Celtics are his seventh) in his nine-year career.

His best season came back in 2003-04 when he started 71 games for the Jazz and averaged 12.6 points and five assists per game. Since then he’s bounced around between Orlando and Miami where he saw duty as a spot starter and backup. He was making 44 percent of his 3-pointers with the Heat, but he is a 34 percent shooter for his career.

“At this point in my career, everybody knows what I’m capable of,” Arroyo said. “Hopefully I can do a little bit more here and help the team. That’s what I came here for.”

Asked about what happened in Miami, Arroyo took the high road.

“I went from starting to not playing and I’ve got to respect that,” he said. “That’s coach [Erik Spoelstra‘s] decision. My job is to stay ready. I’m a true professional when it comes to that and I understand how the NBA works. I was just waiting for my time and hopefully my time is now.”

WALTHAM — After sounding hopeful on Saturday that Delonte West would return Wednesday against the Clippers, Doc Rivers ruled that possiblity out following practice on Tuesday. West has missed the last four games with a sprained right ankle and was limited to working out on an exercise bicycle Tuesday while the team held an open practice.

Meanwhile, Von Wafer is also battling leg issues and Rivers said his back-up guard, injured against Golden State last Friday, is out indefinitely. “Von is going to miss a while. He’s nowhere close to coming back,” Rivers said.

There was some good news as Rivers sounded much more hopeful with regard to Glen Davis, who is battling left knee soreness. The power forward has missed the last two games with patellar tendinitis.

“Baby said he felt great today but we’re going to hold him out for the next two games, for sure,” Rivers said.

The Celtics play the Clippers at TD Garden Wednesday night before traveling to Philadelphia for a Friday night game with the 76ers. They host Milwaukee on Sunday night.

Also, Carlos Arroyo participated in his first practice Tuesday with the Celtics after being signed to a veteran minimum pro-rated contract for the remainder of the season over the weekend. Arroyo is expected to be available on Wednesday night when the Celtics play the Clippers.

‘He played against us in two playoff series. He should know some of our stuff. That’s the way we look at it. But he’s a point guard, been a point guard all his life. So I think some of the stuff, he’ll pick up pretty quickly. All the nuances of things, that’ll just take time,’ Rivers said.